Life Without Pluto

 Life Without Pluto  is a series of abstract paintings created by Johnny Cook in response to the emotional landscape of the post-9/11 world. Born out of a sense of perceived singularity, isolation, and the overwhelming shift in collective consciousness, this body of work explores the deep emotional turbulence and disconnection felt during this turbulent time.

The series is defined by a raw, unfiltered approach to painting—using only squirt bottles and poured, unmixed house paints. These unconventional tools and methods emphasize spontaneity and chance, reflecting the chaos, uncertainty, and loss that followed 9/11. The paintings are marked by bold, fluid gestures and unrestrained forms, with colors bleeding and merging in unexpected ways, creating an atmosphere of both tumult and introspection.

Through these works, Johnny Cook aimed to express the feeling of being adrift in a rapidly changing world, a world where familiar structures—both physical and emotional—seemed to dissolve. The series’ title happened in the midst of the creative process when planet Pluto was decommissioned into its current Dwarf Planet status.  Johnny recognized how instantly perception and definition can change outlook and focus.  Life Without Pluto, evokes a sense of cosmic dislocation, a symbol for the broader feeling of being stripped of certainties and stable ground.

The paintings in this series are not just visual expressions; they are a reflection of a time and place, a deeply personal response to a collective trauma, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of existential questioning. Through the raw immediacy of squirted and poured paint, Johnny Cook captured the essence of an era defined by fragmentation and the search for meaning in the aftermath of tragedy. © 2001-2014